Little Brother
by emma.likes.to.write
Summary: Ukraine reminisces about her childhood with her brother while delivering him his birthday gifts. Oneshot.


**A/N: Hey, guys!**

**So, I wrote this one a few months ago on Russia's actual birthday, but I never actually posted it anywhere. **

**This IS my first fanfic, so don't expect too much :)**

**Feel free to review!**

**••••••••**

Ukraine trudged through the snow. Her teeth chattered and her lips felt like ice. The snow didn't even resemble snow; it just looked like a white, wispy blanket, and it was coming down fast.

She lifted her heavy scarf up below her nose. She was delivering a birthday present to her little brother, Russia, and even this was extreme weather for his country.

His birthday. Ukraine couldn't believe it was his birthday again. She could still remember when he was little. If she thought _really _hard, she could remember when it was just the two of them, before Belarus was even born. No offense to her little sister, but she liked _these _times better.

It wasn't as if Ukraine _hated _Belarus, in fact she loved her immensely. She was just...well, difficult. Always had been. Whenever they were younger, and Ukraine tried to hug or even so much as touch her sister, she would be met with an icy glare that hissed _back off_.

Russia, however, sweet little Russia, loved his big sister's hugs. Whenever she hugged him, he would close his eyes and snuggle into her chest. If Ukraine was feeling _that _good, she would ruffle his hair and kiss his forehead. All the while Belarus would sit in the corner, muttering to herself or talking to one of her stuffed bears. Ukraine grew to learn that her sister liked it better this was, and to just leave her be. A memory flashed through her mind.

_There was a snowstorm outside. It was so cold even the house felt the effects of the heavy snow outdoors. Belarus was wrapped in a blanket, clutching a stuffed bear in her hands. Russia was cradled up next to Ukraine, and she could feel his thick, soft ashy blonde hair against her chest. _

_Russia looked up at his big sister with huge purple eyes. "I'm cold, Ukraine," he said simply, shivering and chattering his teeth as if to prove a point. _

_Ukraine smiled down at her little brother. She always had to smile during times like this, and be strong for her younger siblings. Even if she felt just as scared. It was her responsibility. _They _were her responsibility. She wrapped her arms around Russia, enclosing him in her warming embrace._

_Russia closed his eyes and snuggled his head into Ukraine's chest. She ruffled his hair and patted his head. She smiled again, looking down at her little brother. "Warm now?"_

_Russia didn't look up to meet his sister's gaze, he was too cozy. He just grinned sleepily and nodded. The last thing he felt before drifting off was a warm, soft kiss on his forehead._

Russia. Ukraine couldn't believe he towered over her now. She could still remember when he barely came up to her shoulders. This may be a cheesy thing to say, but it seemed as if it were yesterday when he was so dismayed at being shorter than his big sister, and had always nagged her that he would be taller than her one day. _Well, he was right, _Ukraine thought, managing to chuckle in spite of herself.

_It was a normal, rather cheerful day. The birds outside were tweeting, and sunlight was beaming through the windows, rare for the Siberian coldness. _

_There was nothing to do in the Slavic siblings' household, so Ukraine suggested they measure their heights. She had her siblings line up against a wall so she could mark how tall they were. She did Belarus first, making a mark with a piece of coal right above her head of hair. "There you go, Little Sister! You're so big!" Ukraine exclaimed. Belarus just huffed in response._

_Russia bounded up to have his height measured. Ukraine had him stand against the wall and made a mark where the tip of his head was. "Look at you, big guy, you're almost as tall as me now!" In actuality Ukraine was almost an entire foot taller than the small boy, but there was no harm in exaggerating to boost his confidence. _

_Russia looked at his older sister and grinned happily. "Someday I'll be even taller than you, Big Sister!" he declared._

_Ukraine smiled. "You probably will be."_

_She told Russia to get on a stool so he could reach up and measure her height too. She backed against the wall and felt her brother hold her head for steadiness, tongue stuck to the side in concentration, and made the mark indicating her height. "There!" he said, handing the coal back over to Ukraine. _

_She turned around to look at her height, and her siblings' heights, in a perfect neat little row. She heard a cry of dismay behind her. _

_Ukraine turned her head to see that it was her brother who had made the noise. "You lied, I'm not almost as tall as you, you're way bigger than me!" he whined. He grabbed the stool in desperation and dragged it beside Ukraine, then stood on it. He was now about two inches taller than his elder sister. He grinned with triumph. _

_"Now I'm taller than you!" Russia exclaimed, putting his hands on his hips. Ukraine giggled at his silliness. _

_"Well, if you really want to be bigger than me one day, you have to eat good," she told her brother. "Even the things you don't like. Speaking of which, we should all sit down and eat some lunch, wouldn't you say?"_

_The siblings sat down at their small table to eat the lunch Ukraine had prepared. Russia ate everything on his plate. Even the things he didn't like. _

Ukraine smiled. That was a good memory.

People often thought of her brother as a heartless, creepy, intimidating country, and nothing more. However, when he was very small that couldn't have been farther from the truth. Ironic as it may seem, little Russia used to be terrified of seemingly everything, even things that had a logical explanation behind them. For example, he once thought the howling of the snowy wind was the howling of wolves coming to eat them all; and he once thought the tapping of the window was the tapping of a creepy old man coming to take him away, only to find out it was just a tree branch, rattling against the window because of the wind. Italy, the cute redhead European country, sometimes reminded her of a younger Russia, even though she would never admit that to either of them. _It might terrify the poor Italian to death to know he reminds me of Russia when he was a kid_, Ukraine thought, giggling.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a bit, the freezing air suddenly not feeling that bad. Her thoughts skidded back to the past. Whenever Russia had gotten scared, it was his big sister he would run to for protection. Ukraine would often wake up to find her younger brother curled in her bed with her, because of a storm or because he had a nightmare. Sometimes to this day, she would wake up from a dream about her childhood and just for a second, she would reach her arm across her bed expecting to find her little brother, until she remembered he wasn't there. She always felt a bit stupid afterwards.

Ukraine felt the air on her nose and cheeks, and took it all in. It felt good now.

_Ukraine had just hopped into bed. She sat her candle on the nightstand and crawled under her warming covers and blankets. She leaned over and puckered her lips, ready to blow out her candle and go to sleep when the sound of her door creaking stopped her. Ukraine looked over and saw a tiny figure standing by the door, trembling. Her little brother._

"_B-big Sister?" he whimpered, voice shaky. "I had a bad dream." He was carrying his own candle and clutching a stuffed bear to his chest. His ash blonde hair was messy and sticking up in all directions. _

_Ukraine was tired and exhausted, but she put on a smile for the poor little nation. "Do you wanna lay down with me?" she asked softly, patting the spot next to her. _

_The small boy nodded his head slowly, and without hesitation hurried over to the other side of his big sister's bed, handing her his candle. She took it and put it on the nightstand. Russia shivered even under his sister's hefty, soft blankets. Ukraine rolled over so she was facing him, and began to soothe him. "Shhh...shhh...it's okay. Big sister's here," she repeated over and over again._

_"Do you want to tell me about your dream?" she asked. Russia shook his head rapidly, vehemently. Ukraine gave a small, sympathetic smile. "Don't wanna talk about it because it's too scary?" Her voice was hushed to a whisper. The boy nodded his head this time. He was secretly pleased. His big sister could always read his thoughts, it seemed. He slowly closed his eyes. _

_Ukraine wrapped her arm around her brother in a one-arm hug, and pulled him close, feeling the warmth of his small, stocky body against hers. She rubbed his hair and back, periodically planting little kisses on his forehead and whispering "shhh..." until all she heard was soft snores coming from the boy. _

_Ukraine grinned, rolling over to her other side to blow out the candles. Then she rolled back over and snuggled with her little brother, burying her face in his hair, feeling no cold or sadness, feeling only warmth and love. The best feelings ever. She lay like this until soft snores came from her as well, and fell peacefully, comfortably, into slumber. _

After what seemed like hours of walking, Ukraine finally saw a familiar house in the distance. Her younger brother's house. She picked up her pace, until then not realizing that she had been walking very slowly, almost to the point where she was not moving at all.

When she reached the house, she stood in front of the door and took a deep breath. Ukraine looked at the picnic basket with the food, sunflower, and note in it; birthday presents for her brother. She rang the doorbell.

She heard footsteps on the other side of the door rushing over to answer it. Seconds later, the door opened and Ukraine casted her eyes upward to see her little brother, Russia. His eyes instantly lit up, and a smile crossed his face. "Big Sister!" he said excitedly. "What brings you here?"

Ukraine smiled back, and as she did her teeth chattered a bit. She was suddenly very nervous. She was always so jittery when talking to her little brother. Like that time when she brought him food, and then remembered her boss had forbidden her from seeing him. Ukraine had ran off and cried, not knowing what else to do. "I just came by to say happy birthday, and to give you some gifts," she said rather rapidly, practically shoving the picnic basket into his arms.

Russia furrowed his brows. "You can come in for a drink if you'd like-" he started to say, but was interrupted by his sister.

"I'm sorry, Little Brother, but I have to go. I really do. Happy birthday. Enjoy your gifts," she spat out, giving her brother the quickest of hugs. And with that, she was off.

Russia wrinkled his nose, and looked down at the basket, so delicately prepared yet so hastily given to him. He looked up again, hoping that his sister had come back and changed her mind. Hoping that she would come in his house, sit down, eat some _syrniki _and drink some tea or coffee with him so they can chat. But no. His sister was gone.

Russia sighed, taking one last look outside, and closed the door.

He sat on his couch and carefully opened the picnic basket to look at the contents inside. Homemade milk. Some apple cinnamon muffins. And, much to Russia's delight, a little enclosed glass vase with a pretty, tall sunflower inside. He immediately took it out and inspected it in awe. Where could she have acquired this? Maybe from America?

What warmed Russia's heart even more was that she remembered sunflowers were his favorite flower.

He was about to put the now empty basket away when he caught sight of a small slip of paper, tucked neatly in the bottom of the basket. He took it out and opened the fold. It was a note, written in careful handwriting.

_Dear Little Brother,_

_Happy birthday! I hope you liked your gifts. I prepared all of them especially for you. I can't believe it's your birthday again. Time seems to fly by so fast. Perhaps you remember our childhood, when we grew up together, how I was like a little mother to you? Perhaps you remember how you were the only one that would hug me, and you would snuggle up next to me for warmth during a snowstorm. You used to always brag and say you would be bigger than me one day. You were certainly right! I remember the day we measured our heights with a piece of coal, and you stood next to me on a stool so triumphantly, saying, "I'm taller than you now, Big Sister!" Such funny memories. And remember when you had bad dreams, you would crawl up with me in bed, and fall asleep to my soothing words? Oh, I hope you do remember. These memories have always been very precious to me, I hope you know that. Anyway, I was just writing to wish happy birthday! I hope there are many more to come, and that you have a great day!_

_Love,_

_Your Big Sister Ukraine_

Russia did remember. In fact, these same exact memories had been nonchalantly drifting through his head before he heard the doorbell ring.


End file.
